Topography by Sharon Olds

After we flew across the country wegot in bed, laid our bodiesdelicately together, like maps laidface to face, East to West, mySan Francisco against your New York, yourFire Island against my Sonoma, my New Orleans deep in your Texas, your Idahobright on my Great Lakes, my Kansas burning against your Kansas your Kansasburning against my Kansas, your EasternStandard Time pressing into my Pacific Time, my Mountain Timebeating against your Central Time, your sun rising swiftly from the right my sun rising swiftly from the left your moon rising slowly from the left my moon rising slowly from the right until all four bodies of the skyburn above us, sealing us together, all our cities twin cities, all our states united, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.